Back ✌🏼️ School

Do you remember the days when we would rush to the canteen to get our food? One meal would cost only $2, including our favourite Milo peng (ice milo) from the drinks stall auntie or uncle!

What were your favourite food from the school canteen? There were so many to choose from but we definitely enjoyed Malay food (for its big portions) and local delights such as chicken rice and hokkien mee 😋😋😋

@ohohlawrence really misses the food from the canteen because they were all so cheap and good! 👍🏼

After-school activities 🎤🏀⛹🏼

Co-curriculum activity (CCA), previously known as extra-curriculum activity (ECA), was how we spent a bulk of our time aside from attending classes. Whether it was for drill competitions for the uniform groups, being a part of the A/B/C division for athletes or practicing for the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) for the arts group, we all had a great sense of pride and belong to our CCA.

CCAs not only allowed us to participate in activities that we were interested in but it was also the place where we bonded and forged many friendships. @Jazreeltan recounts her time in the netball club:

"I really wanted to be in the netball team. It's like how a boy dreams to be in a basketball/soccer team. Same for me! Not forgetting the bibs and netball skirts were very attractive to me too!"

Anyone joined a school or CCA for its cute uniforms? 🙋🏻😂

Our favourite teacher 👩🏻👨🏻

After graduating from our alma-matar, one reason why we return to school would be to visit the teachers who mentored us. These teachers have not only imparted their knowledge to us but may have also supported us emotionally and given good advice when challenges rose.

Do you remember a teacher who inspired you? 😌

Last day of exams = FREEEEEDOM! 😆

When we think of school, we also think about the dreaded exams. Many remember the midnight oil we burn to study for these examinations but we also remember fondly the moment the exam invigilators say "time's up, please put down your pens" on the LAST DAY OF OUR EXAMS! 😁🎉

That would mean the end if staying up to study and the start of the long awaited holidays✌🏼️ We could finally spend time doing tings we like; hanging out with family and friends, doing sports or even just lying on our beds scrolling through social media (we know we're guilty of that! 🙊)

Of course, before getting to the end, we have to get through the exams first! @Melinairwan, who recently completed her diploma studies, shared her personal tips to combat stress from exams:

1. Get ample rest 😴
2. Having regular breaks in between studying 💭
3. Listening to music whenever you feel stress 🎧

No adulting! 🙅🏻

I guess a big part of why we look back at our childhood and wish time would pass slower is because the younger we are, the less responsibilities we need to shoulder. We don't have to pay for bills or worry about money issues 😪

LiTing ( @gnitil_ ) shares how she was like as a student during her primary and secondary school days:

"In primary and secondary school, I was very very active and did a lot of sports. I also did gymnastics in both levels of education and I was super rough and noisy!!! In primary school, I used to top the level and got all As! My lowest ever was a B for Chinese and I cried 😂

In secondary school though, I became very mischievous and got very distracted. I was the rebel in school and did everything I shouldn't have. But I don't regret it because I had fun running away from trouble all the time 😅

Fun fact: I was from CHIJ OLFC Primary and CHIJ St Nicolas Girls! That's 10 YEARS of being an IJ girl!l"

Any IJ girls here too? 😇

Melina also tells us what she misses most about school now that she's taking a break:

"I miss how I got to see my friends every day during my primary and secondary school days! Right now, I only get to meet each group of friends once in a while. I don't see some of them in 6 months because everyone is busy 😞"

@ohohlawrence added on "My fondest memory is catching spiders at the field behind my school and placing them in matchstick boxes!" 😂

We hope you enjoyed this week's edition of Back to School! Did we miss out some of your favourite school moments? Let us know what made up your childhood in the comments below ☺️ As we all have to move on to the next phase of life after school, don't forget that learning is a life long journey!